I Tried Typing Subtitles for $12 an Hour

Jon Holstead
10 Jul 202205:17

TLDRThe video explores the potential of making money by typing subtitles for videos on rev.com. The creator signs up, completes a test, and after a two-month waiting period, begins working on captioning tasks. They follow a detailed style guide and complete training jobs, finding the pay to be quite low for the time invested. Despite the tedious and time-consuming nature of the work, they manage to complete five jobs within an 8-hour shift, earning a total of $8.50. The video concludes by comparing this income to other side hustles, suggesting that for the same amount of time, one could earn significantly more doing something else.

Takeaways

  • 😀 The video is about testing if typing subtitles for rev.com can be more profitable than a physical minimum wage job.
  • 🔍 The narrator signed up for rev.com and had to pass a test to prove their English skills before being accepted after a two-month wait.
  • 📝 After acceptance, they had to read an 18-page style guide to learn how to write captions as per rev.com's standards.
  • ⏱️ The narrator completed two training jobs, which took a total of 50 minutes and earned them just $1.48, indicating a low earning rate.
  • 💰 The potential earnings per minute of audio can reach up to $110, but the actual rate depends on the length and complexity of the videos.
  • 🎥 The narrator aimed to work an 8-hour shift to compare earnings with a typical minimum wage job.
  • 🚫 There is a risk of getting a mark on the rev.com account and potentially being removed from the platform if deadlines are not met.
  • 📉 The narrator found the work to be mind-numbingly boring and physically straining due to the need for continuous focused attention.
  • 📉 After completing five jobs in a day, the narrator earned $8.55, which is significantly less than what could be made in a minimum wage job.
  • 🤔 The narrator suggests that there are other side hustles that can be more profitable and less time-consuming than typing subtitles for rev.com.
  • 💡 The video concludes by emphasizing the low earnings and high effort required for this type of work, suggesting it may not be the best option for making money.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the transcript?

    -The main topic of the transcript is the experience of trying to earn money by typing subtitles for videos through the website rev.com.

  • What platform does the speaker use to type captions?

    -The speaker uses rev.com to type captions for videos.

  • How much does the speaker claim they can make per minute of audio captioned?

    -The speaker mentions that they can make up to $110 for each minute of audio they caption.

  • What was the speaker's initial experience with the sign-up process on rev.com?

    -The speaker had to take a half-hour long sign-up test, and after being accepted, they had to wait for two months before they could start working.

  • What was the first task the speaker had to complete after signing up?

    -The first task was to read and understand an 18-page style guide on how to write captions as per rev.com's requirements.

  • How much did the speaker earn from the first job they completed on rev.com?

    -The speaker earned 99.8 cents for the first job, which took them 30 minutes to complete.

  • What was the shortest video the speaker initially found to claim for captioning?

    -The shortest video the speaker initially found was 4 and 1/2 minutes long.

  • What was the time constraint for the first video the speaker claimed?

    -The deadline for the first video the speaker claimed was less than 2 hours.

  • How much did the speaker earn from the second job they completed on rev.com?

    -The speaker earned 55.8 cents for the second job, which was a 1 and 1/2 minute video.

  • What was the total amount of money the speaker made after completing five jobs in a day?

    -The speaker made a total of $8.85 after completing five jobs.

  • What was the speaker's conclusion about the potential earnings from captioning on rev.com?

    -The speaker concluded that the earnings from captioning on rev.com were quite low and that there are other side hustles that could yield higher hourly earnings.

  • What is the speaker's overall impression of the work required to caption videos on rev.com?

    -The speaker found the work to be mind numbing, boring, and tiring on the eyes due to the need for continuous focused attention.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Freelance Caption Writing on Rev.com: A Day in the Life

The speaker discusses their experience as a caption writer for rev.com, a platform that offers transcription and captioning services. They explore the possibility of earning more money from this freelance work than from a traditional minimum wage job. The speaker describes the process of signing up for the service, undergoing a test to assess their English skills, and then being accepted after a two-month waiting period. They also detail the onboarding process, which includes reading an 18-page style guide and completing two training jobs. The speaker expresses concerns about the low pay and the time-consuming nature of the work, comparing it unfavorably to other side hustles such as busking, which can be more lucrative. The summary of their day shows that after completing five jobs, they earned $8.50, which they find to be a discouragingly low rate for the effort involved.

05:01

🎶 Comparing Caption Writing to Busking: Earning Potential

In this paragraph, the speaker contrasts the earnings from caption writing on rev.com with their previous experience as a busker. They recall making about $25 an hour from busking, which they consider a more profitable side hustle compared to the $3 an hour they might earn from caption writing. The speaker suggests that for some, earning $3 an hour might be feasible, but they emphasize the stark difference in income between the two activities. They conclude by questioning the viability of caption writing as a primary source of income, given the low hourly rate and the amount of time it requires.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡rev.com

Rev.com is an online platform that offers transcription services. In the context of the video, it is the website where the speaker is transcribing audio to create subtitles for videos. The platform is central to the video's theme as it is the service the speaker is evaluating for potential income generation.

💡Subtitles

Subtitles are textual representations of either the dialogue or commentary in video content, usually displayed at the bottom of the video screen. In the video, the speaker is focusing on creating subtitles for videos, which is the primary task they are attempting to earn money from.

💡YouTube

YouTube is a popular video-sharing platform where users upload, share, and view videos. The video script mentions YouTube as one of the platforms for which video creators might require subtitle services, highlighting the demand for accurate and well-written captions.

💡Captions

Captions are text versions of the audio content in videos, designed to make the content accessible to a wider audience, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing. The speaker discusses the process of writing captions manually for videos, which is a service provided through rev.com.

💡Minimum Wage

Minimum wage refers to the lowest hourly, daily, or monthly remuneration that employers are required to pay workers in certain jurisdictions. The video compares the potential earnings from transcribing subtitles on rev.com to the income from a traditional minimum wage job.

💡Side Hustle

A side hustle is an additional job or source of income outside of one's primary employment. The speaker is exploring transcribing subtitles as a side hustle to help pay off debt and accumulate wealth more quickly.

💡Onboarding Process

The onboarding process refers to the initial phase when a new employee or contractor learns the ropes of a company or job. In the video, the speaker describes going through rev.com's onboarding, which includes reading a detailed style guide.

💡Style Guide

A style guide is a set of standards for the writing and design of documents, ensuring consistency and professionalism. The speaker mentions a lengthy style guide provided by rev.com that they had to read and understand before starting to write captions.

💡Debt

Debt is an amount of money borrowed by one party from another, with an obligation to repay it. The speaker's motivation for trying out the subtitle transcription job is to get out of debt, which is a significant personal finance goal.

💡Millionaire

A millionaire is an individual with a net worth of at least one million units of a currency, usually dollars. The speaker's aspiration to become a millionaire is mentioned as a goal that motivates them to explore different side hustles, including subtitle transcription.

💡Busking

Busking refers to the act of performing in public places for gratuities or donations. The speaker compares the potential earnings from subtitle transcription to their previous experience with busking, where they were able to earn a higher hourly rate.

Highlights

The author experimented with using rev.com to type captions for videos as a potential source of income.

Rev.com offers a service where people can pay to have captions written for their videos.

YouTube auto-generates captions, but they may not always be accurate, and rev.com provides a manual alternative.

The author signed up for rev.com and had to pass a test to demonstrate their English skills.

There is a long waiting list to start working on rev.com, as the author waited for 2 months after signing up.

The onboarding process includes reading an 18-page style guide on how to write captions.

The author completed two training jobs, which took a total of 50 minutes and paid very little.

The author found the work to be mind numbing and physically tiring due to the need for continuous focus.

The shortest video available for the author to claim was 4 and 1/2 minutes long with a tight deadline.

The author chose a shorter video to ensure they could complete it before the deadline to avoid penalties.

The author encountered difficulty with videos that had multiple speakers or unclear audio.

The author earned 55 cents for a video that took them 7 minutes to caption, finding the task boring and tiring.

After completing five jobs, the author made $8.85, which they found to be a low rate compared to other side hustles.

The author compared the earnings from captioning to other side hustles, such as busking, which can be more lucrative.

The author concluded that for the amount of time and effort involved, captioning on rev.com may not be the most profitable side hustle.

The author suggests that there are more lucrative and less tedious side hustles available.